P.A.O.K. H.C.

P.A.O.K. H.C.
Full name	(Greek: Πανθεσσαλονίκειος Αθλητικός Όμιλος Κωνσταντινουπολιτών) (Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans)
Nickname(s)	Two Headed Eagle of the North
Founded	1926 (Handball Club: 1999)
Arena	Mikra 3
Capacity	1,800
President	Grigorios Petridis
Head coach	Nikos Georgiadis
League	Handball Premier
2015–2016	3rd

Active departments of P.A.O.K.
Football (Men's)	Football (Women's)	Basketball (Men's)
Basketball (Women's)	Volleyball	Handball
Water Polo	Swimming	Wrestling
Boxing	Taekwondo	Weightlifting
Cycling	Athletics	Ice hockey

P.A.O.K. Sports Arena

P.A.O.K. Handball Club is the handball section of AC PAOK, the major multi-sports club based in Thessaloniki. PAOK has both men's and women's team. So far, PAOK men's team has won 3 championships and 2 cup and PAOK women's team has won 1 championship and 1 cup. In current season, PAOK men's team finished in the 5th place of the championship, but then won the 2015 championship in the final's against Diomidis Argos.^[1]

Men's Department

History

PAOK Handball CLub was founded in 1999 after it merged with another club from Thessaloniki, Triton. Stelios Seikeridis, former coach, has connected his name with the whole history of the club.

As the years passed the team became stronger and stronger until it reached two consecutive Greek Handall Championships in 2009 and 2010. In the end of the 2008–09 season they defeated Panellinios in the last game of the play-offs and in 2009–2010 Doukas, also in the last game.

In 2011 even though PAOK had the advantage and needed only a draw in the last game in Mikra, they lost the championship to AEK.

In 2012 they beat AEK 25–24 in Patras and won the Greek Cup.

In 2015 they beat AEK again 27–29 in Thessaloniki P.A.O.K. Sports Arena and won the Greek Cup.

Recent seasons

Season	Division	Place	Notes
2000-01	A1 Ethniki	9th
2001-02	A1 Ethniki	7th
2002-03	A1 Ethniki	7th
2003-04	A1 Ethniki	11th	Relegated to A2
2004-05	A2 Ethniki	1st	Promoted to A1
2005-06	A1 Ethniki	5th
2006-07	A1 Ethniki	5th
2007-08	A1 Ethniki	4th
2008-09	A1 Ethniki	1st
2009-10	A1 Ethniki	1st
2010-11	A1 Ethniki	2nd
2011-12	A1 Ethniki	3rd	Winner Greek Cup
2012-13	A1 Ethniki	4th	Finalist Greek Cup
2013-14	A1 Ethniki	5th
2014-15	A1 Ethniki	1st	Winner Greek Cup
2015-16	A1 Ethniki	3rd

Current squad

Number	Player	Position	date of birth	Height
1	Ilias Zagos	Goalkeeper	6/5/1993	1.80
2	Vagelis Arampatzis	Right Εxtreme	4/8/1996	1.85
3	Kostas Patramanis	Left Inter	26/2/1998	1.95
4	Apostolis Palaskas	Left Inter	30/11/1988	1.87
7	Aggelos Tsilis	Left Εxtreme	6/11/1992	1,84
10	Nikos Nikolaidis	Left Extreme	1/1/1992	1,83
11	Nikos Kokonis	Pivot	4/8/1982	1,83
12	Kallisthenis Giannakidis	Goalkeeper	5/12/1996	1,81
13	Tasos Tsamouridis	Left Inter	18/4/1995	1,89
14	Alexandros Apostolou	Right Inter	25/2/1997	1.91
16	Andreas Orfanoudakis	Goalkeeper	26/12/1982	1.88
17	Theodoros Petridis	Play Maker	16/6/1986	1,83
19	Markos Ikonomou	Pivot	9/7/1990	1,92
22	Kostas Grigoriadis	Left Inter	1/1/1992	1.90
24	Nikolaos Loizos	Goalkeeper	21/9/1990	1.88
25	Georgios Mastorogiannis	Play Maker	30/8/1981	1.84
36	Dimitris Romanidis	Right Extreme	4/4/1998	1,70
44	Akis Kypraios	Right Extreme	24/5/1989	1,85
77	Slobodan Veselinovic	Inter	12/7/1985	1,95

Administration and technical staff

Staff
President	Athanasios Katsaris
Section Registrar Handball	Grigoris Petridis
Coach	Nikos Georgiadis
Assistant coach	Antonis Tsolakos

Honours

• Greek Championships:
  • Winners (3): 2009, 2010, 2015
  • Runner-up (1): 2011
• Greek Cups:
  • Winners (2): 2012, 2015
  • Runner-up (1): 2013
• Double
  • Winners (1): 2015

European Campaigns

European Campaigns

PAOK has been competing since 2006–2007 in Europe, and has taken part in all EHF competitions until it bailed out for the 2012–13 season due to lack of funds. In 2009–2010 the team reached the group phase of the EHF Champions League which is its biggest achievement up to date.

Women's Department

PAOK's women handball club is also competing in the first Greek division.
On season 2012-13 they beat Ormi Patras in playoff finals with 2-1 series and won the Greek Women's Handball Championship. On 2013-14 season, PAOK won its first cup, beating Anagennisi Arta in the final with score 22-20.^[2]

Current squad

Number	Player	Position	date of birth	Height
3	Eleni Tsaousidou	Play Maker	22/10/1997	1,73
4	Ioanna Zigoura	Play Maker	13/6/1996	1,68
5	Myrto Noula	Right Inter	15/8/1989	1,70
6	Chrissa Tsompanidou	Right Εxtreme	21/7/1992	1,65
7	Anna Milacic	Left Inter	25/8/1988	1,79
8	Irini Koktsidou	Left Inter	29/7/1993	1,75
10	Christina Anthitsi	Pivot	20/11/1991	1,82
11	Danai Selemidou	Play Maker	9/2/1999	1,60
12	Slajana Jeric	Goalkeeper	12/2/1977	1,78
13	Kyriaki Karsanidou	Left Extreme	25/2/1993	1,67
14	Eleni Mournou	Left Inter	31/7/1994	1,75
16	Niki Ratsika	Goalkeeper	12/11/1997	1,72
18	Athina Kostopoulou	Right Inter	30/12/1995	1,78
20	Maria Pavlou	Pivot	15/1/1996	1,71
21	Parthena Tsanaktsidou	Pivot	24/5/1997	1,62
22	Maria Mentesidou	Left Inter	31/5/1997	1,65
23	Katerina Vafiadou	Left Inter	23/11/1992	1,78
24	Athanasia Tsitlakidou	Right Εxtreme	20/8/1997	1,65
29	Athanasia Strataki	Left Inter	29/12/1986	1,75
31	Irini Papazoglou	Left Inter	5/5/1989	1,81
33	Konstantina Symaioforidou		6/6/1996	1,82
88	Elsta Mastaka	Pivot	28/3/1988	1,75
96	Maria Lazaridou	Right Inter	11/1/1996	1,70

Administration and technical staff

Staff
President	Athanasios Katsaris
Curator	Dimitris Chasekidis
Coach	Grigoria Golia
Assistant coach	Voula Psomiadou

Honours

• 1 Greek women's handball championship
  • 2013
• 2 Greek Cups
  • 2014, 2016

Arenas

The arena which plays PAOK in games of the regular season of the domestic league is the Arena Mikra 3 which holds 1,800 seats. But PAOK plays in the European games and the play off of the domestic league in PAOK Sports Arena which holds 8,500 seats.

References

1. "Τετράδα και Ευρώπη ο Ποσειδών, εκτός ο ΠΑΟΚ". sentragoal.gr. 3 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
2. "Κυπελλούχος Ελλάδος ο ΠΑΟΚ". handball.org.gr. Retrieved 12 May 2014.

External links

• Official website
• official website women
• EHF PAOK page
• official facebook page